Raptors coach Nick Nurse added to that, suggesting the outcome of the series could have franchise-altering implications.

"These are games that now have significance as far as one team's going one direction, and one going the other, possibly," Nurse said.

No doubt. Milwaukee starters Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and Malcolm Brogdon are all headed for free agency, although the Bucks can match offers for Brogdon. Nikola Mirotic is also a free agent this summer.

Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives against Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the second half of Game 5 of the NBA basketball playoffs Eastern Conference finals in Milwaukee on Thursday, May 23, 2019. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) less

Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives against Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the second half of Game 5 of the NBA basketball playoffs Eastern Conference finals in Milwaukee ... more

Photo: Frank Gunn

Photo: Frank Gunn

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Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives against Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the second half of Game 5 of the NBA basketball playoffs Eastern Conference finals in Milwaukee on Thursday, May 23, 2019. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) less

Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives against Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the second half of Game 5 of the NBA basketball playoffs Eastern Conference finals in Milwaukee ... more

Photo: Frank Gunn

It's win or go home for Bucks

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The Raptors, meanwhile, have no bigger free agent than two-way star Kawhi Leonard, who can opt out of the final year of his deal. An NBA Finals berth, or better, in Leonard's debut season north of the border would certainly be a boon to Toronto team President Masai Ujiri when free agency opens on June 30.

MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks need a win to prolong their hopes of reaching the Finals for the first time since 1974. Then a Western Conference team, Milwaukee lost to Boston in seven games. One season later, star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar left for the Lakers, and the Bucks haven't played for a ring since.

Toronto won twice in its previous Eastern Conference final appearance, taking Games 3 and 4 at home against Cleveland in 2016. After that, LeBron James and the Cavs showed their class in Games 5 and 6, outscoring the Raptors by a combined 64 points.

Cleveland swept the Raptors out of the second round in each of the past two seasons, but LeBron's departure from the East and Leonard's arrival in Canada have helped put Toronto in its best position ever.

With his team heading home in need of one more win to set up a Finals showdown with Golden State, Nurse knows the Raptors still face a daunting task in Game 6.

"As hard-fought as all these have been, and believe me, they have been, I expect this one to be the hardest fought of them all," Nurse said.

Nurse won't be worrying about how much playing time his stars log on Saturday night.

"It's a whatever-it-takes game," he said. "It's an unlimited-minutes night."

Budenholzer, on the other hand, said he sees value in keeping Antetokounmpo's minutes below 40.

"You need to be able to produce and perform, including in the fourth quarter, so I don't feel any different about how much we use him," Budenholzer said.

Antetokounmpo played 39 minutes in Game 5. He played 45 minutes before fouling out in Toronto's double-overtime win in Game 3, but hasn't topped 39 in any other game this postseason. His regular-season high was 42, in an overtime loss to the Knicks on Dec. 1.

Trail Blazers: Portland formally announced that coach Terry Stotts signed a contract extension through the 2021-22 season. The extension was first revealed the day after the Trail Blazers were eliminated from the postseason by the Golden State Warriors, but terms were not released. Stotts, Portland's coach since 2012, led the team to its first appearance in the Western Conference final in 19 years. The Blazers finished the regular season 53-29 to secure the third seed then got past Oklahoma City and Denver in the opening rounds of the playoffs. The Blazers have made the playoffs in six straight seasons under Stotts, who was an assistant with the Albany Patroons under George Karl in 1990-91. The Blazers also announced Friday that President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey has signed a contract extension through the 2023-24 season. Olshey joined the team in 2012 as general manager and was promoted in 2015.

Celtics: Sports legends were in Boston to honor basketball great John Havlicek. Former Celtics and Bruins stars gathered at Trinity Church in Boston on Thursday for a memorial service. The Hall of Fame Celtics player died in April at the age of 79. The Boston Herald reports that Celtics greats Bill Russell, Tom Heinsohn and Dave Cowens joined Bruins legend Bobby Orr at the memorial. Hall of Fame baseball pitcher Phil Niekro and former U.S. Senator and New York Knicks player Bill Bradley were among others to pay their respects. "Hondo" Havlicek played 16 years for the Celtics and is the team's all-time leading scorer. He was voted one of the 50 greatest players of the league's first 50 years and is best remembered for his steal to clinch the 1965 Eastern Conference final.